How to Nurture Your Child’s Mental Health

Adults have a tendency to remember childhood as an easy time. However, children can struggle to cope with a world that always seems to be changing around them. They may also be influenced by outside influences, such as being bullied and the pressures of social media. You never know what your child is facing unless you talk to them. Here are some important steps you can take to nurture your child’s mental health. 

Practice Active Listening

When your child talks to you, listen. Pay attention to tone, body language and other indicators of how your child feels. Consider how they’re saying what they’re telling you. If your child tells you they’re not doing well, they’ve taken a brave step that they may have mulled over for a while. Let them know you’re there for them, and if action is required on your part, take it as soon as you can. 

Provide Sufficient Structure

Children thrive when given routines and activities that keep them engaged. Making plans with your child — and keeping them — can set you apart as a solid foundation in their ever-changing life. Being reliable may not feel like much if it comes naturally to you, but it can make all the difference in a child’s life. This is especially true when things don’t go their way.

Avoid Over Scheduling

Scheduling is good, but over scheduling can lead your child to be overwhelmed. If your child is never bored, they don’t have a lot of time for independent thought. Having time to themselves to do whatever they want is essential to having balance in life. People of all ages could benefit from setting aside a little more time for play. 

Allow for Failure

It can be hard to watch your child fail when it’s something they’ve put a lot of time and energy into. However, failing is an essential part of life. Your child needs to know how to fail and overcome their failures after feeling what they feel in the moment. Giving your child permission to fail is as important as celebrating their accomplishments. This is the only way to build resilience, which will become essential as they grow older and more independent.  

Encourage Healthy Habits

Taking care of your body is crucial if you want to have a healthy mind. Children may not make this connection. When they lose a few nights of sleep to their new favorite game, they might be perplexed about why they’re starting to feel depressed or anxious. Encourage your child to get in a few minutes of moderate physical activity a day, eat nourishing foods and get adequate sleep every night. This can extend to personal hygiene as well, especially for teenagers who often let it slip. The better your child feels physically, the better they’ll generally feel mentally. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we recognize the importance of mental health for students, especially as they grow and develop. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

What to Look for in a Christian Private School

Sending your child to the perfect school can involve a great deal of research. You may think you’re done when you look up “Christian school near me” and find one in a reasonable driving distance. However, not all Christian private schools are the same. They come in all shapes and sizes, similar to any private school. Finding the perfect one for your child takes careful consideration. Here are a few things you should look for when choosing a school for your child. 

Faith Development Programs

There’s more to Christian school life than praying in the classroom and having a minister on campus. Christian schools should focus on teaching the whole child, from integrating gospel teachings into academic lessons to providing opportunities for faith development. The more children relate to faith as an aspect of their lives, the more meaningful they will find their Christian school experience. 

At NTCA, students participate in UNCOMMON, a faith development program that offers service, discipleship and celebration activities to keep everyone on campus immersed in their Christian faith. 

Emphasis on Student Wellbeing

Going to school can be a great experience for some students and less so for others. Children who frequently feel sick, for example, may see school as a burden. On-campus resources like the Health Office at NTCA allow students to take a breather and get back to class when they’re feeling better. In addition to health resources, programs that deal with bullying between students on campus can help resolve conflicts and get to the core of issues that cause bad behavior. Consideration for physical and mental health is essential.  

Extracurricular Activities

Private schools are often limited in their extracurricular offerings, partly because there are fewer students to participate in each activity. However, it’s important to make sure that your child has access to sports and other activities that will keep them engaged. NTCA offers volleyball, basketball, golf, soccer and Esports, as well as partnerships with local sports facilities, to provide a variety of options.  

Innovative Teaching

The world is always changing. Teaching techniques that worked well enough for a long time aren’t always a great fit for the modern world. Look for a school that offers an innovative approach to education. NTCA emphasizes real-world project-based learning, allowing students to achieve more and emphasizing each individual child’s gifts and creativity. These lessons are often integrated with serving the community, which is an integral part of their Christian faith. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we offer more than a place for children to learn. Students at our Tampa Christian school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

5 Fun Ways to Build Faith During Summer Break

Summer break memories typically revolve around vacations to exciting faraway places, and children can find it difficult to settle down and remember to focus on their faith. However, it’s the perfect time to look at things from a faithful perspective. Getting a break every year for summer is a blessing, and there are so many ways you and your family can incorporate faith into summer activities. Here are a few fun ways to build faith together during the summer break. 

Memorizing Bible Verses

Getting your child to memorize anything when they’re not in school may not sound fun, but memorizing Bible verses together could be the exception. One of the best ways to help your child memorize their favorite Bible verses is by taping them to their bed frames, then reciting them together every night. Go with one verse at a time until it’s memorized, then move on to the next one. This is a great way to keep their minds active and provide a reminder of God’s presence over the summer.

Nature Scavenger Hunt 

Experience God’s gift of nature with your child. Print out a checklist of items that can be found in nature, and have your child mark off each item as they find them. Through this activity, you’ll help your child gain awareness of the world around them while reminding them that God built everything they’re checking off the list. 

Gaze at the Stars

Find a place within driving distance where you and your child can get a full view of the stars. This might involve some research, depending on how deep in the city you live. However, it can be a great way to put the enormity of God’s creation into perspective. Remind your child that there’s a universe beyond this planet and that it’s all God’s realm.

Have a Movie Night 

Find kid-friendly movies to watch with your child, and consider inviting friends or family members who share your faith to watch along with you. Some great examples would be “Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie” for younger kids and the Chronicles of Narnia series for older children. Be sure to read reviews before selecting the lineup, and consider adding in movies you enjoyed as a child. This can be a great way to show your child fun, entertaining movies with a message that will stick with them. It also gives you an opportunity to show them how faith is displayed on film.

Write Thank You Notes

You may already ask your child to write thank you notes during holidays, but this can also be a meaningful activity to do during the summer. Have your child write down a list of important people in their lives. Encourage them to think about special memories, events or aspects they appreciate about each person. Writing it down and sending it to each person in a thank you note is sure to put a smile on each person’s face. No one expects thank you notes in the summer. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we believe faith building should happen all year round. Students at our Tampa Christian school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Helping Your Child Choose a Summer Service Project

During summer break, your child has all the time in the world. At least, it feels that way when you’re a child. One great way to fill some of those long summer hours is by serving the community. There is no lack of charities in any given area, so the challenge is to pick just one. Here’s how you can help your child pick a community service project that will keep them engaged this summer. 

Consider Their Passions

With so many charities that require assistance, it might be difficult to narrow it down. The first step to finding a summer service project is to find a cause to support. Does your child insist on petting every animal they see, even the slimy ones? Consider volunteering at an animal shelter. Is your child constantly worrying about the homeless people they see on the side of the road? Maybe you and your child could donate your time to a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. The more passionate they are about the cause, the more engaged they will be.

See Who Needs Donations

You may be able to combine summer donations with some late spring cleaning. Chances are, your child has toys, books or clothes they’ve outgrown. Help your child find a new home for these items, whether it’s a women’s shelter or an organization for local children in need. There are plenty of organizations that need the items your child would otherwise discard — or worse, keep forever. Giving items a second life is a great way to give back to the community.

Match Their Activity Level

Community service takes many shapes and can be done at any activity level. A child who loves reading books indoors may be interested in volunteering at the local library or writing cards for members of the military. Children who play sports throughout the year might enjoy a beach or park cleanup, even on an especially hot summer day. Keep your child’s activity level and personality in mind when helping them choose a summer service project. 

Find Something You Both Enjoy

By participating in volunteer activities together, you can help your child stay engaged when they get distracted. If you find something your child is passionate about that you’ll enjoy doing by their side, that may be the best fit for your family. The more people your child knows who are involved in the activity, the more meaningful the memories will be.  

We encourage all of our students to serve the community during the school year, and we hope they do so in the summer, as well. At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa Christian school, thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Understanding Faith as a Source of Strength

Living in faith is a personal experience. Everyone experiences their faith differently. However, what most believers have in common is that their faith is a source of strength, especially in the times when they need it the most. For Christians, that strength comes from a belief in God’s omnipresence and Jesus’s love. This belief can make the burdens of life easier to bear. Here are a few ways that faith can be a source of strength. 

Knowing Peace

Trusting in God during difficult times can provide a sense of peace that breaks through the chaos. When your mind is at peace, everything becomes easier to get through. People of all ages can benefit from having a sense that, even if things are tough, they’ll be better on the other side. Children especially struggle with this type of perspective, as their minds aren’t fully developed in terms of forward thinking. Faith can help them reframe the situations they’re in and find peace in knowing that they will get better.

Overcoming Circumstances

Life won’t always be easy, and the only constant in life is change. Even when it feels like nothing but blessings are coming your way, circumstances can change in an instant. For people with faith in a higher power, adapting during these times means finding strength in that faith. This strength often goes beyond yourself. When you have children, they also lean on you during times of unrest. This popular Bible verse often helps Christians when life becomes hard to bear: 

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” — Philippians 4:12-13 

Power Through Grace

Grace is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give to yourself and others. The grace given to you by God can beget more grace. Through the power of grace, you can forgive others and quickly move on when situations are less than ideal. Giving your child grace when they fail a test or giving your colleague grace when they miss a deadline can go a long way. This doesn’t mean ignoring others’ mistakes, rather showing them compassion instead of reacting with anger. 

We hope to help our students understand that faith can bring them strength, especially in difficult times. Students at North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa Christian school, thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.